Gene Notes

Some random and some not-so-random thoughts on family history.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Do You Remember?

Okay, this post will certainly date me. Forty-nine years ago on Thursday, President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. I am reminded of this, since the Military Channel has been running stuff on it for the last few weeks. I was shocked when I realized next year will be the 50th anniversary of it. I don't feel like I am old enough to remember something from 50 years ago!

I was in school that day, sixth grade, when the announcement came over the PA system to pray for the President, who had been shot. A short time later, we were given the grim news that the President had died. I guess I should insert here that I attended a parochial school. Praying was not only okay, but mandatory.

To this point, I had not added this to my genealogical database, but I am going to when I finish writing this post.

Where were you, and what were you doing when Kennedy was shot? Or Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Ronald Reagan? These were important events in our times - well, mine at least. Have you thought about adding notes about all these historic events in your genealogy. I wish I had something from my family members who were of an age to remember what they were doing when Lincoln was assassinated, or McKinley was killed. Having newspaper accounts of the events is one thing, having a diary entry or a letter remarking on the death of a leader? One can only wish.

2 comments:

I was in 4th grade and we were at recess. When we came back into the building, we were told that the president had been shot. I'm not sure why but I thought they meant the principal of the school and even my young mind couldn't comprehend why someone would want to shoot our principal. I remember the following few days like it was yesterday. Lee Harvey Oswald being shot, the funeral, and little John John saluting.

I was a freshman in high school -- an all-girls Catholic high school. I remember it SO WELL! I also remember the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. I graduated in 1967. In 1968, Cincinnati suffered through riots. I was also in college during the Kent State shootings and the University of Cincinnati shut down for several weeks. I think those turbulent times affected me in ways that I don't fully recognize. I'm sure that these experiences inform my political views. I'm a proud product of the '60s